seaside clockworks
by Tune4Toons
Summary: Sometimes, it's the waiting that's the hardest part.


Author's Note: Just to disclaim, Star Fox © Nintendo.

Enjoy~

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**seaside **

**clockworks**

ಞಞಞಞಞಞಞಞಞಞಞಞಞಞಞ

_If you had to choose, would you pick yesterday or tomorrow?_

A blue vixen glances out into the sea of Zoness from the beach. The white grains of sand cushions her feet in, waves rippling onto the shore. The night takes hold of the sky. A bright moonlight reflects off of the ocean's blurry waters. She sits down in the sand, tail sprawling around, staring at the digital watch wrapped around her wrist. Where is he? She could've sworn he told her to meet him here.

19:13, the clock says.

_Tick tock_.

The moon's out early today.

She didn't feel like sitting for long, so she decides to walk along the sand, trailing along a string of shoreline. Yesterday, Fox promised to not be late. What do you know? No surprise, but can she blame him? The poor fox is always stuck running errands for Peppy, and Pepper beforehand. Before that though, he had asked her the oddest question earlier. Even now, her mind is still wrapping circles around it.

_"How fast can an Arwing go?"_

That's what she remembers him say to her. What a random question it is. She can always go listen to what his mind is trying to hide, but no. She decides against it.

_"Krystal, it's okay. Don't worry about it."_

The waves become restless. They crash onto the large rock face that stands in front of the shore.

How much has he done for her? How many times has he protected her? Yet he doesn't even allow her to do the same. It's hard to not worry when his patterns seem so off. His thoughts have been drifting lately, mind never in the moment nowadays. What's going on? She can't just walk up and ask him. He has too much work to focus on. It's too bad, really, having to work as hard as always.

Krystal's expression becomes as blue as her fur, the sea, and the blackened sky. Her feet start drawing circles in the sand. If only she can hide it.

…Well, no one's around, making her realise she won't need to stay straight-faced all the time. She stares at the glimmering shells on the ground, chuckling to herself. Has it been that long ago? Krystal smiles. It's been a while since they first met. Plenty of disagreements to look back and wonder at. She gazes at the little pearl that washes up on the shore, falling out of an opened clam. She can already imagine what Fox must be doing at the moment, piloting around in his Arwing, going as fast as he can to finish the job.

_How fast can an Arwing go?_ Mach 5, if she's recalling it right.

The comm in her ear buzzes, and she holds a paw to it. "Yes?"

"Hey, Krystal. I gotta ask ya somethin'."

"What is it, Falco?"

"Have ya seen McCloud anywhere? D'guy's gone missing fer a while. He's supposed ta be meetin' ya, right?"

"He's not here either. Tell me when you see him, if you please."

"Got'cha. Laters." And the channel cuts off into static.

One look at the watch. 19:21.

The waves crash harder.

Considering Fox's the one who arranged everything in the first place, you'd think he'd try to break the habit at least now. But it looks like it's not only her. Doesn't seem to be that anyone else has found him either.

Wait, why is she waiting then? She can run back to her Arwing anytime and search for him herself… No, he told her to stay here. She has to keep faith.

Krystal sits back down onto the sand again. The ocean continues sparkling with silver, and the water soon laps at her feet. She wonders if later on in life, the routine will remain the same. Waiting. Wondering. Hoping, even.

_Tick, tock_.

How fast can the clock go?

The LED lights of her watch keep blinking on and off. Krystal gazes at the moon. Fox and she came here once, her head on his shoulder when they stared into the distance.

The vixen leans to the right, but shoots back up, realising there's only air beside her. She sighs.

Time is cruel when it wants to be.

Faint crunches in the sand grab her attention. She takes out her blaster, picking herself up off the sand. _Someone's coming._ Krystal glances around. The sound gets closer. Her eyes widen. She spins around, blaster aiming straight ahead.

"H-hey, hey!" A panting, brown fox in a dusty white coat holds his paws up high.

A few seconds to register what happened, and she slides the blaster back in its holster. "Fox! So sorry. What took you so long? Even Falco's worried."

"Heh, sorry about that. I just forgot to get something earlier. I called Slippy though, so he's going to tell Falco for me."

And it takes him this long? What in the world was he doing? She keeps wishing, longing for the day he'll let her know at times like these ones. Her gaze glides along his torso, then back up to his eyes. Green, or blue? Depends on his mood. But right now, blue from the moonlight.

"Walk with me," she says. She takes his paw and pulls him closer, guiding him along the shoreline. How warm they feel. She leans her head on his shoulder. Her eyes close, and she lets out a breath. His fur is soft, as if made for her and her only.

Nothing is spoken for a while, allowing the two to breathe in the ocean mist. How many times will she be able to enjoy moments with him like this? And even then, will he be late?

Will he keep her waiting?

"S-so Krystal," Fox's voice cracks for a moment, "nice night, h-huh?"

She keeps her eyes closed, trying to hear to what his thoughts had to say. But his mind floods with too many to listen, so she leaves them be.

"Yes, it's a nice night."

Fox clears his throat, mentally cursing at himself, making Krystal giggle as she listens. "Well, at least I didn't take too long, now did I? What time is it now?"

They both glance at the vixen's wristwatch.

19:35.

Thirty-five minutes late.

"That bad? Krystal, I'm so sorry—"

"It's fine. I'm used to it by now."

"What? No, you shouldn't be 'getting used to it'. I promise I'll do better."

Her eyes open and she stares at him. Blue. Smiling, she dusts off his soot-covered coat. "It's alright. You were busy with things."

"Krystal… I swear. Once all the work is done, I'll be around more often. You deserve the best."

She smiles. "I already have the best."

"Not if I can't even be on time for this, especially this. I can't believe that not even today, I couldn't—"

"Fox, it's fine. I told you."

"But…" He scratches the nape of his neck. "Not that you know yet, but today'll be different, special even."

"Oh? So why did you want to meet me here in the first place?" she asks, smiling as she slides her paw down to intertwine with Fox's own.

His body stiffens as a light blush creeps up on his cheeks. "W-well, I…uh…" his other paw starts fumbling inside his pocket, "…I had something…to…um…" His eyebrows furrow, paw digging around.

_Oh no… no no no no no! Where is it, dammit? Did I lose it?_ Krystal can hear his thoughts speak loud and clear. Lose what? What's going on?

"Fox, what's wrong? I can help you if you like—"

"No no no. It's fine. I just gotta—" he starts searching through his other pockets, "—look for something that…doesn't seem to…be with me…right now…"

"Fox…"

"Anyway," he continues while looking around, "did you come up with an answer for that question yet?"

The question? Why's he bringing that up now? She strokes her chin, not noticing Fox turn around and make them both walk back the way they came. "Mach 5, right?"

"Not quite, but technically yeah. I heard about this thing someone told me a long while back. Goes something like this: no matter how fast you think you're going, it always flies by quicker than you'd think."

"Of course you'd say that, fly boy."

"No, really. Think about it. If you're inside the cockpit cruising around through Lylat, time feels faster than you'd expect. But," he holds up a claw, "you can never go backwards."

"That's right; you can't."

"But would you?" he asks while scanning the ground.

"Would I what?"

"Go backwards, and enjoy what used to be there?"

Go backwards to when he wasn't as busy. When he wasn't sent off everywhere. When he spent more time with her… She grips his paw tighter, taking in the seconds she has with him. Yet it's because of how rare those times were that they're always the moments that last the longest. A treasure she loves to keep to herself.

"Or," he says, "would you rather fast forward, and get to the destination as quickly as possible?"

Her head shoots up, and she stares at him. _But where's the fun in that?_ "Since when were you so interested in philosophy?"

"You're the mind reader. I thought you knew. It's fun stuff to learn about. I could always teach you a few things in the future."

"Heh, maybe…" _The future_…_ What a wonderful dream to imagine_. She wraps her arms around Fox's waist, and he in turn swings an arm around her shoulders. His fur feels soft on her own. Breathing in his scent, she falls deep in thought. To have him hers forever, around to keep to herself. That's what she'd want.

Krystal glances at her watch. 20:00. Already?

Fox holds her in closer. "You know, we could stay here for a while, take a break from everything. What do you think?"

"I'd love that." She stays silent for a while. "Fox?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't ever change."

He smiles. "Don't worry. I'll be sure to stay the same, just for you."

How sweet of him to lie like that. Who knows if he realised that, but he did. Time changes everyone. It happens. But she loves him for that, always knowing what to say. Now _that_ is something she won't ever want to lose.

Then she spots a little box from the corner of her eye, buried in the sand. She bends down to pick it up. Fox, on the other hand, gasps and curses at himself even more. Beads of sweat fall from his face as he watches her open it up.

"U-um, that's just…"

A silver ring with a single pearl rests inside. She gasps. Paws shake, and her mouth is left agape.

"W-well, the surprise is kinda ruined now… But…"

Tears well up in her eyes.

"This was not the way I had it planned," Fox chuckles as he feels the blood rush into his face, "but I hope you like it."

Krystal giggles through the tears. "Don't worry. It's perfect."

She stares at the band for at least a minute. Fox's breathing starts becoming shaky. Her paw holds the box up, but her other paw won't move. Why hasn't she taken it out yet? Did she really want to get a jump-start ahead, or did she want things to stay as they are?

Fox got down onto his knees. Is he really? Is she dreaming? Yet the back of her mind is screaming, _No. It's too soon_. She stares into Fox's eyes. Green. Then she looks back at the ring. It'd be a shame to not take it, but is this what she wanted? Or is this not what she's waiting for? Now begs the question: take the ring, or leave it be. Her mind continues to wrap circles around it.

Fox sighs. Is it too soon? None of this is according to plan. But he continues waiting. Wondering. Hoping, even.

The time on her watch: 20:02.

When did waiting get so hard?

_How fast can an Arwing go? One soon rushes through the sky._

_Did you count the seconds?_

_Tick._

_Tock._

_…_

_Tick…_

_…_

…

…

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Tune4Toons: Despite how this breaks my shipping heart, I still enjoy this piece all the same. First time I did a title like this too. Anyways, I hope you liked it as well!

Feedback and criticism are always appreciated.

Stay tuned in to the moment, and happy readings!


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